NBC renews "Office" and "30 Rock"

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - NBC announced early renewals for a trio of returning shows while providing reassurance that weakened powerhouse “Heroes” has a “very secure” future.

Cast of "30 Rock" (L-R) Alec Baldwin, Jane Krakowski, Tina Fey, Jack McBrayer and Tracy Morgan pose backstage after their show won the Best Television Series - Musical Or Comedy award at the 66th annual Golden Globe awards in Beverly Hills, California January 11, 2009. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Solid performers “The Office,” “30 Rock” and “The Biggest Loser” will be back for another season, while the final verdict on underperformer “Lipstick Jungle” still isn’t in.

NBC also set premiere dates for its untitled Amy Poehler comedy: 8:30 p.m. Thursday (the current “Kath & Kim” slot) on April 9, and confirmed that “Southland,” the new police drama from “ER” executive producer John Wells, will take over for “ER” on Thursdays at 10 p.m., beginning April 9.

“Kings” will air at 8 p.m. Sundays starting March 15. New cooking competition series “The Chopping Block” will premiere at 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, filling the “Knight Rider” slot.

New primetime entertainment president Angela Bromstad said the previously announced additional three “ER” episodes were ordered to ensure that Wells had enough time to get “Southland” ready before taking over the Thursday slot and that “Kings” showrunner Michael Green was fine with the switch.

“We feel so strongly about both of theses shows (that) instead of waiting until fall, we wanted to launch both of those shows this spring,” she said when asked about the schedule shift.

The news was part of a flurry of announcements made by the broadcast network at its Television Critics Association press tour day. The network’s executive session introduced critics to Bromstad and executive vice president of alternative programing Paul Telegdy, both of whom recently stepped into their roles as part of an executive shakeup at NBC.

Bromstad assured that plans for Jay Leno to take over NBC’s 10 p.m. spot are not a signal that the network would cut back on development of scripted shows for primetime. The network is looking for six dramas and four comedies this fall and hopes to have long-awaited action series “The Philanthropist” on the air as early as this spring.

“We have to have the quality and have to have the ratings,” Bromstad said. “We have to strive for that. But we won’t replace shows that are loved by fans and are good quality shows just to put another show on.”

Veteran “Heroes,” formerly one of the network’s top-rated programs but approaching worrisome ratings territory during the past few months, was given a vote of confidence.

“‘Heroes’ is very secure,” Bromstad said.

However, “Kath & Kim” and “Knight Rider” are “shows that may or may not come back” she said.